C'est la guerre
by ShadowsOnTheMoon
Summary: You've heard of Bonnie & Clyde... now here's the story of Spencer & Toby.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! This was based on a prompt from the lovely ****elenabee****, who wanted some more A-Team Spoby. And here I am (apparently a Spoby shipper now, anyone wanna tell me how that happened?) to deliver. This'll be a multi-chapter story, not sure how long yet; depends how much feedback I get and how long my motivation sticks around for. So here's the first instalment, let me know if you like it. Oh, and in case you're wondering, no, this won't affect my updates of ****_Iridescence_****; I'm still working on that, and I'll be updating at least once a week as long as I can. So stick with me, Spoby shippers, as we head off on another journey, this time into the depths of the A-Team and the heart of Spencer and Toby's love...**

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Strangely, guilt was not among the myriad emotions Spencer was feeling as she snuck out the front door and crept down the path. She'd kept herself awake for hours last night, pondering the moral implications of what she'd agreed to do, turning over every situation in her mind, coming up with lies in case anyone caught her. She'd examined it from the perspective of about five different religions, ten philosophers, and even each of the girls. No matter which way she looked at it, someone was going to get hurt. Someone was going to hate her. Someone was going to say she made the wrong choice, that she should have told them, that she shouldn't have tried to do this by herself. Yet no matter what she knew they'd say, she also knew she was doing the only thing she could. There was no room for guilt, if she was going to see this through.

It was a warm night, and she wished she didn't have to wear this damn hoodie. It was slightly too big for her, and she had to keep pushing the sleeves back up past her hands, only to have them fall back down again almost immediately. Partway down her block she realized her face was still visible; she couldn't rely on the shadows to hide her features. Barely breaking stride, she flipped the hood up and lowered her head, so nobody would be able to recognize her. She had a handful of lies at the ready, but she'd prefer not to have to use them.

Although she'd memorized it the first time she'd read it, Spencer found herself pulling out the note she'd received from Mona and reading it again. _19 Crescent View Avenue. 9 pm. Come alone; leave with your partner._ Yesterday Mona had explained that within the A-Team, there were certain partnerships. Each team of two would go on missions together, and be accountable for each other; and if either of them screwed up or turned against them, the other would be taken down too. Spencer would be meeting her partner tonight – it was another new recruit, someone with whom she could learn the ropes.

She tried not to think about how that could potentially involve actual ropes, or drugs, or guns, or any other number of horrible things. The A-Team was definitely not above kidnapping, torture, or, as far as she knew, murder. The thought of torturing anyone made her queasy; she'd almost failed her biology exam last year because she'd fainted during the dissection. But surely Mona wouldn't put her in charge of something so difficult right away. Undoubtedly there'd be a period of initiation, where Mona would test her loyalty, intelligence, and commitment, most of which would probably involve recon, sending messages, and doing trivial things like fetching coffee or something. Then she could work her way up to torture and murder. That was something to look forward to.

Her cell went off as she reached the end of her block, making her jump. She hadn't been given her 'A' phone yet, so that meant this was probably a personal call. The caller ID confirmed this. "Hey Toby," she said, answering after only a short hesitation.

"Spencer. Where are you?" He didn't sound accusatory, but something in his tone made her uneasy.

"I'm out running errands," she lied, working hard to keep her voice neutral.

"At this time of night?"

She swallowed, coming to a stop in front of a boarded-up store. She looked into the cracked windows, at the forgotten display of dolls on the shelves. "Yeah," she said, suppressing a shiver. "It was the only time I had free."

"Oh. Well, I came by your house, thinking we could have dinner or something."

"Sorry," she said, biting her lip. As she started moving again, she could swear that the eyes of one of the dolls followed her movements. "I already ate anyway."

That wasn't a complete lie. She had eaten – about six hours ago, and even then it was only half a bowl of noodles. She hadn't been able to stomach anything else; although guilt wasn't a factor, anxiety definitely was. It was possible to have the best intentions and still have everything go horribly wrong, and she wasn't even sure she did have good intentions. Not entirely, anyway.

"Oh." He didn't even try to hide the disappointment in his voice, and Spencer felt a spark of irritation, followed by resignation. Really, there was no other way to do this. To keep Toby safe, she had to keep this secret. It was as simple as that. "Maybe another time then?"

"Sure. How about tomorrow night?"

Knowing Mona, she'd need something to look forward to after tonight.

"Sounds good," he said, and hung up without waiting for a reply.

Spencer stared at her cell for a moment, trying to shake the feeling that something was wrong. Toby wasn't normally so brusque, and it worried her that he'd chosen now to start. There was no way he could know what she was really doing, right? She still didn't feel guilty – she couldn't, since she knew she was doing the right thing – but she did feel something close to fear. If he found out what she was doing, she wasn't sure he would ever forgive her.

The walk seemed to take forever. It was only a few blocks away, but every step was a battle; she had to keep reminding herself why she needed to do this. Each footfall became a syllable, repeating over and over in her mind: _You can save him_. A four-beat rhythm, a simple reminder, enough to get her through the park and across the bridge, and then the house was in sight. As she approached the street, she allowed her mind to consider something she hadn't before: who her partner was going to be. Was it someone she knew? Someone like Lucas, or Noel, or Jenna? Or maybe it was someone she didn't, someone she'd passed in the halls or in the street, someone whose face looked vaguely familiar but whose name she couldn't quite recall. Whoever it was, she would have to get a lot closer to them. She'd have to work with them to save Toby. But she could do that. If she could work with Mona, she could surely handle anyone else.

Her steps quickened as she approached, shifting into a two-beat jog, each footfall jarring her consciousness, embedding his name into her heart. _To-by. To-by. To-by_. He was her safe place to land, her love and her strength and her everything. He wouldn't like her putting herself in danger, but it wasn't his decision. It was hers. And if this meant saving him, she'd do it. No questions asked, no regard for her own safety. He'd been holding her up for so long, and helped her through so much. It was her turn to save him.

She reached the house exactly at nine o'clock, and precisely at the same time as someone else. Someone wearing an identical black hoodie, squinting down at a piece of paper in their hands. This had to be her partner. She couldn't see their face, and they hadn't noticed her yet. Taking a deep breath, and thanking god that Toby didn't know what she was doing, she took a step forward. The other black-clad figure jerked their head up and met her eyes.

She felt her heart stop. What the hell was this? Was she even at the right place? She whipped out her note, and, sure enough, she was at the right address. She glanced from the house to the note and then finally at the person, whose expression reflected the bewilderment she felt.

A few tense beats of silence passed. She cleared her throat, tried to find her voice. But it was her new partner who broke the silence.

"Well," Toby said, peering at her from under his black hood, "this is awkward."

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	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I hope you're all still with me after my hiatus. I have definitely not given up on this story, and I'm excited to share this next chapter with you. But before that, I'd like to give a massive thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter! Spoby is still kind of new territory for me (but I'm gradually getting more comfortable with them), and this is a side of them I haven't really explored much, so it's good to know you're enjoying it. I'm going for a Joss Whedon approach, "make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke", so I'm hoping to balance humour with action.. and of course romance. So if you're liking it, let me know, and I hope to see you all soon!**

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There were many things Toby had expected to find at his first A-Team meeting. These included Mona, some kind of elaborate trap or setup, and even nothing at all – Mona had a weird sense of humor. Among the things he had not considered he would find was the one thing he found himself confronted with: the love of his life, and the very person he'd taken on this job to protect.

"Toby!" Spencer exclaimed, taking a tentative step closer. She came up short, her eyebrows furrowing. "What are you doing here?"

Toby glanced down at his uniform, the black gloves and boots a dead giveaway even if she hadn't already noticed the hoodie. "Uh, looking for you?" he suggested.

Spencer blinked, and then narrowed her eyes. Of course she wouldn't fall for that. "No you're not," she said sharply. She took a step back, her eyes narrowing further as she assessed his appearance. "You're wearing… and you're here… Did Mona send you here?"

He held up his piece of paper, and it slid from his fingers, fluttering to the ground to land at Spencer's feet. She didn't move, except for a sharp intake of breath. And it was then that he really noticed what _she_ was wearing. He had to admit, the black hoodie, the gloves, everything – she definitely looked good. She'd put on less makeup than usual, but it suited her. He focused on her guarded hazel eyes, and to his surprise he found he wasn't angry. Spencer had lied to him about where she was – but he'd lied too. Maybe they were more perfect for each other than they thought.

"You're my partner?" Spencer questioned, scrunching up her own piece of paper.

"Yeah, I thought we covered that when I asked you to be my girlfriend."

Spencer hesitated, seemingly caught between annoyance and amusement. Finally she let out an amused snort, and some of the tension between them dissipated.

"So," Toby said, leaning against the wall and giving her a sly smile, "come here often?"

Spencer laughed, slapping him lightly on the arm. "You're a dork," she said, and he could tell that her anxiety was quickly turning into excitement. He was relieved as well; of all the partners he could have had, it was her. Surely Mona had some kind of devious plan for them, but right now he couldn't care less. He didn't have to lie to Spencer, or hide from Mona. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he was expecting.

"So what do you think she wants?" Toby asked, flicking his eyes toward the house.

"Well, it's Mona. So it could be anything from a pride of bloodthirsty lions to a high tea complete with crumpets and five kinds of sandwiches."

Toby glanced down at his clothes. "I'm definitely not dressed for either of those activities."

As Spencer laughed, he tried to get a read on her. She'd agreed to work with Mona, to be on the A-Team – but why? What was in it for her? Was she trying to protect the girls, get to the bottom of this mystery, and take down the team from the inside? Or – and he could hardly even stand to think this, in case it wasn't true – was her reason for joining maybe a little more like his? He hadn't joined just to protect her – but until he was sure of her motivations, he couldn't tell her that.

Before he could ask, Spencer had sobered up and become all business. She gestured for him to be quiet, and led the way around the back of the house. With a shrug he followed; what more trouble could he be in? It was almost too dark to see, and a couple of times he bumped into Spencer. She'd turn back to glare at him, but there was a lot less malice than he'd expected. In fact, there was none at all.

As soon as he took Mona up on her offer, he'd known that Spencer was going to find out. He didn't know when or how, but he knew she would. Nothing got past Spencer, at least not for long. She was always alert, too smart for her own good, and not afraid to get her hands dirty if it meant getting some answers. It was those traits that made her most likely out of all the girls to be the one to bring down the A-Team – and, he figured, those same traits that made Mona desperate for her to join.

If Spencer put her mind to it, she could probably destroy the team, get Mona arrested, find out who killed Ali and have them brought to justice, figure out who assassinated JFK, stop climate change, and still have time to ace her French test on Monday.

And here he was, still almost weak with relief at the thought that he wouldn't have to tell her he'd joined the A-Team. He'd have no trouble keeping this secret from the other girls – he rarely spoke to Hanna or Aria, and he and Emily hadn't been close for a while – but he hadn't liked the thought of needing to keep it from Spencer. This way all he had to focus on was working for Mona and keeping up with the construction job he'd just been given; anything more than that and he knew the pressure would kill him. But Spencer made this double life and all her achievements look effortless. If he was as competitive as she was, he knew he'd be jealous. As it was, he was just impressed.

They reached the back of the house, which was as dark and empty as the front. Spencer peered through the back window, then sighed and turned back to him.

"Well, that didn't help," she said. "What do you think we should do now?"

Toby skirted past her and looked through the window – not because he didn't trust her judgment, but because he was curious. It was too dark to see anything, although judging by the size of the house he figured even if the lights were on he'd only be able to see the back room anyway. Mona wasn't very likely to set up a meeting or a trap in such a visible room, so it wouldn't have done them much good.

"What time is it?" he asked, instinctively lowering his voice in response to the darkness and the silence. It seemed fitting that they should speak in whispers, and he couldn't help but think that they should be talking in code too; there was something about wearing the black hoodie that made him feel the need to be even more sneaky than was strictly necessary.

"Ten past nine," Spencer whispered back, rolling her sleeve back to see her watch which, when a certain button was pushed, would light up. Not only was she smart, she was also always prepared.

"You'd make a good spy," Toby commented, giving her an appreciative smile.

She rolled her sleeve back down and grinned. "If you like this little gadget, you should see what I have at home."

"Maybe you should show me," he murmured, pulling her close. He could feel her breath against his chest, and it made his heartbeat speed up. It was dark here, and he was reasonably sure they were alone – what was to stop him from…?

"Hands to yourself," Spencer muttered, removing his hand from where it had drifted down below the waistline of her pants. "We've got a job to do, remember?"

Damn it. He shoved his hands in his pockets and reminded himself why they were here; it wasn't to make out, it was to meet Mona. Which was sure to be oh so much fun. "Right," he said. "We should go find Mona."

"Knowing her she's probably marking us down for being late," Spencer commented wryly. Neither of them were sure how exactly the A-Team worked, but they were certain to be lowest on the totem pole. They'd have to play it safe, at least for a while.

Toby opened his mouth to reply, but a voice from the shadows made him freeze.

"Or maybe she's standing right here and wondering what the hell you two are doing."

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**Enter Mona. Things are about to get interesting...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey all. Thank you so much for your reviews last chapter. Shoutouts this time go to ****Sarah**** for your love of Vanderjesus and Joss Whedon, and your mention of my 'signature twists and turns' (makes me sound like a real writer, sweet) and to ****Poisonnewine**** for your emotional review and calling me one of your favorite Spoby writers (despite my love for Wren I will take that as a compliment); and rest assured that their flirtation will progress, and you'll have some Spoby action - with minimal heart breakage, promise.**

**Now, I don't think many of you are reading it, but I'm currently writing a Sparia story called ****_Fearless_****. It has roughly the same amount of follows/favorites as this story, with similar chapter lengths; and since I prewrite my chapters a few in advance, it's often a toss-up between which one I update first. I would have updated this a couple of days ago but the other story had more reviews, so I went with that one. So if you guys want me to update this one first next time, review and let me know you're liking it. Whichever one's more popular is the one I'll go with, so show me your love, Spoby fans. See you next time.**

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"Sweet Jesus," Spencer muttered, whirling around in surprise.

Mona was standing a few feet away, partially obscured by shadows. She was wearing her black hoodie, her arms were folded, and she looked both amused and slightly disappointed.

"You two are late," Mona said, and then without another word turned and walked away.

Spencer shared a look with Toby, shrugged, and followed Mona around the house. Mona came to a stop at the front door and withdrew a key from her pocket. While she was unlocking and opening the door, Spencer reached for Toby's hand. He raised an eyebrow, surprised, but then squeezed her hand and smiled.

"I'm glad you're doing this with me," Spencer said, making sure to keep her voice too low for Mona to hear.

"Me too." Toby pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She leaned into him, taking a moment to close her eyes and just focus on the sound of his heartbeat.

Mona turned around, saw the embrace, and rolled her eyes. "If you two are quite finished, we have a job to do. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Spencer said, drawing away from Toby as if they'd been doing something indecent.

It wasn't that she was embarrassed; it was more that she wanted to make a good impression. When Mona had asked her to join the A-Team, at first she'd only been confused and a little scared – but after a while, she'd also felt a twinge of pride. Out of all the girls, Mona had chosen _her_. It was possible that it was all some kind of elaborate plan, that Mona was just setting her up to knock her down, but Spencer didn't feel like that's what it was. It felt more like Mona actually – well, not quite liked, but admired her. Mona had given her quite a recruitment speech, alternating between being flattering and threatening, and now Spencer felt a strange urge to impress her.

"Great." Mona smiled, somehow managing to make the normally peaceful expression seem like a warning. "Let's go."

The door swung open and Mona stepped inside, leaving it wide open for the others to follow. Toby automatically took the lead, ignoring Spencer's teasing comment about being too macho to let her be an independent woman. The room they entered was small and dark, and entirely empty. Apparently it wasn't their destination, because Mona didn't slow down as she strode across it. She opened another door, marched across another room, and finally came to a stop in what appeared to be the kitchen.

"Here we are," she said, spreading her arms wide to encompass the whole room. "Make yourselves at home."

The room was dominated by a large wooden table, surrounded by six chairs. There was the remains of a meal spread across it: a half-empty pizza box and a few stray crumbs. Mona tutted to herself as she cleared it off and dumped the box in the trash. Spencer and Toby sat down at the table, still taking in their surroundings. The walls were lined with pictures of the girls, including some with their significant others; Spencer had to look away from the ones with her and Toby.

Along the benches were some cups and glasses, packets of instant coffee and microwavable soup, and piles of paper. Spencer was intensely curious, but she knew she wasn't in a position to ask what they were. She may be a member of the A-Team now, but that didn't give her full access to everything. She'd have to earn it – and, strangely, the thought made her feel excited rather than guilty.

Mona sat down across from them, clasping her hands on the table and giving them a measured look. Spencer opened her mouth, but closed it again as she realized she should wait for Mona to speak. Mona was in charge of this meeting, as much as Spencer hated to admit it, she'd have to play by her rules.

"All right," Mona said at last. "I gave you a brief rundown when you both joined the team, but now that you're here I'm obviously going to have to give you a more thorough tour. But before I do that, I need to ask you a few questions, clarify a few things… make sure you're not going to cross me."

Spencer bristled at the insinuation, and then shrank back from the implications. Did that mean she really didn't want to go against Mona? When she'd taken this job, her first thought had been Toby. She needed to protect him. But now the truth was beginning to set in: to protect him, she would need to hurt her friends. And as much as she kept telling herself that she couldn't do that, and that she didn't want to hurt her friends in any way… well, it wasn't quite enough to quieten the little voice in her head that whispered, _Imagine the kind of damage you could do_.

"I'm going to need you to two perform a couple of simple tasks," Mona went on, and Spencer could feel the other girl's eyes burning into her. Determined not to give Mona any reason to doubt her, Spencer met her gaze evenly. "I'll assign you each a target, and you have to carry out the mission I'll give you. If you're both successful, you will join forces for one final task, and if you perform that to a satisfactory level, I will be happy to welcome you to the fold and introduce you to the rest of the team."

"All right," Spencer said. "So what are these tasks?"

"To be sure you don't warn the girls, I won't be telling you your tasks until you're in position. And I'm going to have to ask for your cell phones."

Toby blinked. "Are you serious?"

"Can't be too careful," Mona simpered, tapping the table to indicate that they place their phones on it. Reluctantly the other two complied, and Mona grabbed the phones, tucked them away in a box, and secured it with a padlock. Ignoring the looks she was being given, she went on. "Since I'm sure you're eager to get started, I'll give you your locations now."

"Wait, you mean we're doing these tasks tonight?" Spencer asked, taken aback. She hadn't expected the initiation to begin quite yet.

"Yes," Mona said smoothly. "Unless you have any objections?"

"N-no," Spencer mumbled. "I mean, I have a History test tomorrow, but -"

"Oh, please," Mona interrupted airily. "You could pass that test in your sleep."

Confused by the sudden compliment, Spencer fell silent as Mona handed them each a slip of paper. Spencer unrolled hers and looked at the address. It didn't look familiar, but she knew how to get there; it wasn't too far from the old library.

"And I remind you again that if either of you should fail, it's on both your heads," Mona said. "You're a team, and you're both responsible for what the other one does. So play it safe, follow instructions, and we shouldn't have a problem. If there's no questions, you might like to get going now."

Toby stood up, his chair scraping along the wooden floor, but Spencer stayed in place, thinking. "Mona, I have a question."

Mona dipped her head. "Go ahead."

"If we don't have our phones on us, how will you contact us to let us know what our missions are?"

Mona tapped her nose knowingly. "Smart girl. I have my ways. You'll see soon enough. Anything else?"

Frustrated by the non-answer, Spencer shook her head and stood up. Toby wrapped his arm around her waist, nodded to Mona, and then led Spencer out the door. They walked a couple of blocks together, before they had to split up to go to their separate locations. The pair paused at the set of traffic lights, gathering their wits and their courage.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Toby asked, and Spencer thought she could detect a note of hope in his voice.

"I'm sure," she said firmly. "This is the only way we can stay safe."

Toby leaned over and kissed her, and instantly all her nerve endings tingled. No matter how many times or ways he touched her, she never grew tired of it. She always felt as electrified as she had the first time they'd kissed, and she had a feeling the sense of wonder would never quite go away.

"We should get going," she said once he pulled away. "Wouldn't want to keep Mona waiting."

Toby rolled his eyes, but started walking anyway. He turned back halfway across the road to ask, "Are you sure she's not just screwing us over?"

Spencer shrugged. "She could be. But there's only one way to find out."

With a wink she turned from him and jogged down the street, strangely looking forward to what could very well be the start of her new life.

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**Mona is perfection. That is all.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, been a while, apologies, etc. Here's the next chapter. I have the one after this pre-written, so I'll post it either a) when I get 10 reviews on this one, b) when someone correctly guesses who Spencer's 'A correspondent' will be (one guess each), or c) in a few days. See you then.**

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Toby waited until Spencer was out of sight before he turned around and continued on his way. Words were inadequate to describe how excited he was for this moment, and even if he could find the words he wouldn't use them – he couldn't risk scaring Spencer off. She'd taken this job just to protect him, and if she found out that he wasn't just doing this to protect her, she might not be so okay with it. So as long as he kept his head down and followed instructions, and didn't let Spencer in on his true motivations, he should be okay.

The location Toby had been given was the Brew, which gave him a good indication of who was target would be. The thought made him uneasy, but it wasn't enough to sway him or make him want to turn back. He could do this. He had to do this.

It wasn't a long walk, but it was enough time for his heart to start racing in anticipation and apprehension. He wished he had his phone, so he could call Spencer and wish her good luck – heck, even just so he could hear her voice – but he settled for imagining what she would say if she were here. Probably something along the lines of 'I believe in you, and I believe you can do this' or 'If you want this, go get it'.

It was enough to calm him, and by the time he reached the Brew he was feeling better. He was ready for his mission, ready to prove to Mona that he could do this, and he hoped that Spencer was thinking the same. Mona had made it very clear that if either of them screwed this up, they would both go down for it. Toby knew he couldn't live with himself if he let Spencer down, and knowing her, even if he wasn't involved, she'd put all her effort in just because she couldn't stand to lose. So he didn't have to worry about her slacking off. On his ever-increasing list of things to worry about, that was never a factor.

The Brew was still open for another ten minutes, so he found a shadowy spot across the road to wait for instructions. He still didn't know how Mona was going to get the message to him, but he didn't bother thinking about it much; he didn't really have a clue how she did _anything_, and although he was curious he knew he wasn't privy to that kind of information just yet. But if he played his cards right maybe she'd start to trust him, let him in on some of her secrets. Maybe she'd even let him take charge sometimes.

The street was quiet and mostly deserted, and at first Toby had thought the silence would be unsettling. Instead it was comforting; he settled back in his chair, letting the darkness and the silence wrap around him like a blanket. He was still nervous, and so excited he could barely sit still, but he was definitely calmer than he had been; hopefully it would be calm enough to get him through whatever his first 'A' task would be.

Fifteen minutes later he saw the lights inside the Brew flicker off, and Emily stepped out into the street, locking the door behind her. He watched from his vantage point as she checked that the door was locked, tucked the keys into her pocket, and headed for her car. As she pulled away from the curb, Toby felt someone come up beside him.

He turned, expecting it to be Mona, and was surprised when he met a different pair of eyes looking out at him from under a midnight black hood. It briefly occurred to him that it could be a coincidence, but given who it was he knew that wasn't likely.

"Noel," Toby said cautiously, and the other guy grinned.

"Fancy seeing you here," Noel said, sitting down and giving Toby a sideways look.

"I was sent here," Toby replied. "What are you doing here?"

Noel leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head, his grin widening. "I was sent here too."

Toby narrowed his eyes, confused, until the implications caught up with him. "Mona sent you," he surmised. "And since I'm meant to do this by myself, I'm guessing that means…"

"I'm here to give you a message," Noel finished, nodding. "You catch on quick, Cavanaugh. I can see why Mona wanted you on the team. Your girlfriend, however -"

"Leave Spencer out of this," Toby interrupted, automatically defensive.

"So you two are still the power couple of Rosewood," Noel said, his tone making it clear that he couldn't care less. "I still think Mona should have thought this through, before asking her to join the team."

"Nervous that your boss might have some competition?" Toby asked, but Noel just shook his head slightly, unperturbed, and didn't answer.

"So the reason I'm here," Noel said instead, "is to explain this mission to you."

"That's not the only reason," Toby said, picking up on the words that Noel wasn't saying.

The two fell silent as a pair of joggers ran past, one of them with a panting Golden Retriever lagging behind. As the sound of footsteps faded, the only noise left behind a gentle rustling of fallen leaves as a light breeze kicked up, Noel went on, "Your mission is pretty simple. There's a box inside the Brew; it contains all of the plans for their upcoming speed-dating event. All you have to do is steal it."

"Why? What does that get Mona?"

"Oh, nothing," Noel said, waving his hand airily. "This isn't about her. It's about you."

"So Mona doesn't care about what's in the box. It's just to check that I'm willing to do anything she tells me to." Toby considered this, and realized he didn't actually have a problem with it. If it was what it took to get Mona to trust him, then he was all for it. "I'm assuming that doing so will somehow reflect badly on Emily."

"Well, yes. She's in charge of managing the plans, so if they go missing, they're going to hold her responsible."

"So that's what Mona's after. She wants to make sure I'm willing to go against Emily for her."

"Are you?" Noel gave him a measured look, and Toby met it evenly.

"Believe it or not, I am."

"I was so hoping you'd say that." Noel clapped his hands together, evidently pleased that Toby was actually on his side. "We can get started in a minute, but there's one other thing before we do."

"What is it?"

"There's a reason Mona sent me rather than just telling you herself," Noel explained, watching Toby carefully for a reaction. "She wants to make sure you can keep a secret. Nobody outside the A-Team knows I'm part of it."

"So if any of the girls find out, they'll know it was me who told them."

"Precisely. Mona sent a different member to Spencer, and neither of you are allowed to tell the other who you talked to. So if any information gets out, Mona will know exactly whose loose lips sank that ship."

"Clever," Toby said, genuinely impressed. It seemed like Mona had really thought this plan through – although he expected nothing less from her. After all the pain and torment she'd inflicted on the girls, he'd assumed she had some kind of a system, some safety nets and fall-back plans, but this was more elaborate and thorough than he'd considered. Before he'd joined the A-Team it would have made him nervous; since he was so close to Spencer, he was still a target. But now that he was on the inside, it just made him excited. "Anything else I need to know?"

Noel shook his head, reaching into his pocket to pull out a set of keys. "These will get you into the Brew. The box is in the cupboard under the counter." He handed Toby the keys, and then his tone became teasing as he asked, "Do you need me to hold your hand while you do it?"

"No," Toby said, his fingers curling around the keys. "I've got this."

"Good luck," Noel called as Toby set off across the street.

"Won't need it," Toby replied, his heart already pounding with expectation and anticipation. This was the moment he'd been waiting for, and he wasn't about to screw it up.

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	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the reviews last chapter, everyone. None of you correctly guessed which A-Team member will make an appearance this chapter, but I love you all so much I'm updating now anyway; thanks for playing, better luck next time. This chapter was fun to write because I wish there was more scenes on the show with these two; I just love their relationship a lot and I think they mesh really well.**

**I'm curious, though, who are you guys rooting for in this story? Obviously this is a Spoby story, so yay for them... but they're on the A-Team, which is bad for the girls. So what are you hoping the outcome's gonna be? Are you Team Liars or Team A? Let me know in the reviews.**

**Also, one more question (and bear in mind the more people answer this, the more of an idea I'll be able to get on how to proceed from here; therefore the faster I'll update). What do you guys want to see more of in this story? After the first-A-mission chapters, there's going to be some lighter stuff (Spoby funtimes anyone?), but what do you want after that? More A-Team drama? Spencer and/or Toby talking to the girls? The aftermath of their missions? I'll take all opinions into account, so let me know what you want and I'll do my best to deliver.**

**Enjoy!**

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Despite the brave face she'd been putting on, Spencer was still apprehensive about this. She was used to sneaking around at night, mostly because of all the times she and the girls had been hot on the A trail, which she now realized was mostly because of misleading clues and the delight Mona seemed to take in tormenting them. Still, it was unsettling, and she couldn't stop herself from jumping every time she heard an unexpected noise. She was quite spooked by the time she reached her destination, but she was trying her best not to show it, hoping that if she acted confident the feelings would follow.

There wasn't much familiar about the destination she was given. It was a little apartment just beyond Hollis, but she couldn't think to whom it could possibly belong. Her first thought was Ezra, but his apartment was a few blocks over. Presumably hers was one of three targets: Aria, Hanna, or Emily. This was nowhere near any of their houses, or their partners' houses. It was pretty, though, with a few beds of flowers out the front and, even this late at night, a 'homey' sort of feel to it.

It was, like most apartment buildings, locked, and she hadn't been given any kind of key to get in. That meant she either wasn't supposed to get in, or it was some kind of test: maybe if she didn't find a way in herself, she would fail, which would spell trouble not only for her but for Toby as well. Mona had said she'd make sure she got the message to her, so did that mean it was lying around here somewhere? Had she left clues for her to find and put together? Was she on a _time limit_?

That last thought spurred her into action, and she quickly started searching. There didn't seem to be anything out of place on her side of the road, so she crossed it and stood in front of the towering building for a moment. Then she started looking around, which was difficult since she didn't know what she was meant to be looking _for_. It could be anything: a message written in the dirt, a piece of paper pinned to a window, some obscure object stuck up a tree somewhere.

Deciding to start with the obvious first, she looked for a piece of paper. There were plenty, as it turns out, but most were just old shopping lists, newspaper pages, and other things she wasn't interested in. She double-checked the newspapers just to be sure, since A had sometimes sent them messages that way, but nothing was circled or highlighted. There might be something in the shopping lists, though, so she pocketed those in case she didn't find anything else.

The dirt around the building was relatively undisturbed, and contained no clues that she could see. There was nothing written in chalk on the sidewalk, nothing pinned to the wall, no notes slipped under the door. There was, however, a rather large oak tree just to the left of the main entrance, which could hold some kind of clue. There seemed to be a few handholds further up, but she wasn't sure how she could reach them. She circled around the tree, looking for a way up. There was no way she'd let Mona trip her up on something as simple as not being able to find clues. She'd done plenty of that when she was on the other side, after all, so this was nothing new.

There was a branch jutting out just above her head, and if she grabbed it and pulled herself up, she might be able to place her feet on the lowest of the handholds. It was worth a shot, so, wondering if any other A-Team members ever had to do something so ridiculous, she jumped up, wrapped her hands around the branch, and prepared to start climbing.

"Spencer?"

The voice from behind her made her lose her grip, and she barely managed to stay standing as she let go of the branch and tried to spin around simultaneously. Caleb was standing in front of her, an amused smirk on his face as he watched her dust off her hands and pretend she hadn't been about to climb the tree.

"It's a bit late for a stroll," he said casually, leaning against the tree. "What are you up to?"

"N-nothing. I was just… stretching." She made a note that if she got out of this, she'd have to work on her lying skills. She'd thought they were pretty good, but that was when she was lying about things like her boyfriend and her grades and her involvement in certain illegal activities (numerous instances of breaking and entering came to mind, for a start). Now she was lying about being part of a diabolical team designed solely to torture her friends, and, as it turns out, that was a little harder to hide.

"Stretching, huh?"

"Yeah." She couldn't help looking around, trying to figure out if Mona was watching, and what she was meant to do now. If Caleb knew something was wrong he would probably stick around until she either told him what was up or went home, and either of those would probably automatically result in her ejection from the A-Team. Considering how bad it had been before, she didn't like to think about how awful Mona and whoever else was on the team could make it for her if she failed this chance to prove herself.

"Nice night for a walk, though," Caleb commented breezily.

Spencer stared at him, her fingers tapping against her leg in impatience as she tried to come up with a way to convince him to leave. "It is. It's a nice night to be _alone_. I was just going to, uh -"

Caleb laughed, his smile widening at Spencer's confused expression. "Relax, Spence," he said, reaching behind him to pull something out of his backpack. "We're on the same side."

"And whose side is that, exactly?" she asked, trying to keep the frustration from sharpening her voice. She was curious more than irritated now anyway.

With a flourish he pulled out a black hoodie and put it on; somehow it made him seem more sinister, less like the kind, gentle guy who Hanna fell in love with, and more like… well, more like someone with Spencer, who'd sold her friends out to save her own happiness. Caleb let his backpack fall to the ground as he pulled a pair of gloves from the pocket of the hoodie and started putting them on. "Mona sent me," he said.

The words took a while to connect in Spencer's brain. If Mona sent him, then that meant…. "You're on the A-Team?" she said incredulously.

"Don't look so surprised," he teased. "I'm smarter than you might think, and -"

"No, it's not that," she cut in. "I know you're smart enough to be on the team, I just mean… why would you want to? You love Hanna, don't you?"

"I do," he said, and for a second his face softened. "But some things are more important than that."

"Like -?"

"Enough questions," Caleb interrupted, but he seemed more excited than exasperated with her. "The reason I'm here is so that I can give you your assignment for the night. How are you feeling?"

"I feel… scared," she admitted, the darkness of the night catching her words and enveloping them, keeping them secret. "But also excited. And a little bit impatient."

"That's how it always goes," Caleb said with a laugh. Then he became serious as he explained her mission. "This apartment building is where Meredith lives."

"Meredith?" Spencer echoed. "You mean the student Aria's dad was fooling around with?"

"That's the one," Caleb confirmed. "It started up again recently, but Aria doesn't know. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to go inside and trash her apartment. Meredith is away for the weekend, so you shouldn't have any trouble."

All of this seemed straightforward, but also rather pointless. "What does that get Mona?" Spencer asked. "I trash Meredith's apartment, great, but is there a point aside from vandalism?"

"Of course. Our fearless leader always has a plan," Caleb said, his joviality putting Spencer at ease. "Your job is to make it seem like Aria was the one who trashed it. She's done something like that before, so it won't be too hard for Meredith – or Mr Montgomery – to believe."

"So I set Aria up, Meredith calls Mr Montgomery, who takes it out on Aria – who has no idea they're even back together," Spencer summarised.

Caleb nodded. "Correct."

"Okay."

"You sure you're up for this?" Caleb asked, misinterpreting her hesitation as reluctance. "Do you think it's too much?"

"No. It's… brilliant," she said slowly. "It's the kind of plan I'd come up with if I were an evil mastermind."

"Give it time and you might become one," Caleb said, and it sounded like he was only half-joking.

The thought made Spencer cringe – she didn't want _that_, did she? – but it also, to her dim horror, made her the tiniest bit excited. "All right," she said, clapping her gloved hands together. "Let's do this."

"That's the spirit," Caleb said, handing over a set of keys. "Good luck."

Spencer took a deep breath, smiled, and headed for the door. She paused on the top step, looked over her shoulder, and said, "See you on the other side."

Then she stepped through, into something that was at once exhilarating and terrifying in more ways than she could name.

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**Anyone else love Spaleb as much as I do?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! Thanks for waiting so patiently, and, more importantly, thank you for all the reviews last chapter. You guys are awesome. Special thanks to everyone who gave feedback about what they want to see in this story; I'll do my best to include everything you mentioned. Also special shoutout to The . Velvet . Dusk because your second review made me laugh so hard I was pretty sure I was a giggle away from getting kicked out of class. Also, it's great to know so many of you are Team A. That makes me feel a little better about where this story is going (even though I am going to break my own heart in the process - eveningshades1107, why would you even use the phrase 'destroy Sparia forever'?!). Anyway, enjoy the chapter, don't forget to review, and I hope to see you guys again soon. Oh! Also, if you haven't already, would you guys mind heading over to my profile and voting on my poll so I can decide what to work on next? Thanks!**

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Although he was half-expecting the keys not to work – did the A-Team have plans to haze them, like a fraternity would? – somehow Toby wasn't surprised when the key slid easily into the lock. As it clicked his heart skipped a beat, but even he couldn't tell whether it was from fear or excitement. He forced himself not to look back at Noel; he needed to seem unhesitant, fully committed, reading to give it his all. And god, was he ready. He'd been waiting for this moment for years.

The door creaked as it opened, but then slid quietly back into place as he stepped inside. It was quiet and dark inside, as expected, but that didn't make it any less unsettling. He'd never been in the Brew after dark, and he imagined that after this he wouldn't be keen to repeat the experience. There was no gentle whirring of coffee makers, the hum of conversation, the radio or a busker on the street providing a musical backdrop for the goings-on. It was just him and the darkness – and a mission he needed to complete.

As he crept across the room – he was alone, he knew that, but the silence made him feel the need to be quiet himself – he wondered what Spencer was doing. Was her mission any more difficult than his? Was she as willing as he was, or was she having second thoughts? He knew he should be contemplating the implications of what he was about to do, the seriousness of the endeavor upon which he and Spencer had just embarked, but all he could think about was how god damn attractive she looked in that black hoodie.

Back when he first heard about the A-Team, before he'd become friends with Emily and then Spencer, he'd thought it was a genius idea. A way to get back at Alison and her posse? There was nothing he wanted more. He'd only found out by accident, when he'd come across Alison still reeling from the impact of another 'A' note. He'd played the concerned friend – after all, they were _almost_ friends – and she'd opened up before swearing him to secrecy, either deeming him more trustworthy than the girls or, more likely, assuming that even if he did talk about it, nobody would listen.

Yet the months slipped by, and he was having as much luck as Alison was tracking down this mysterious tormenter. She was getting the clues directly, but he had to rely on second-hand information; a piece of gossip relayed by the girls about how strange Ali was acting, a brief glimpse of Alison as she snuck out of school. A couple of times he got close to A – or he thought he had – but they were always a step ahead of him.

And then he met Emily, and everything changed.

And now, somehow, he was standing in the middle of the Brew, a key dangling from one hand and his life figuratively resting in the other. He could still back out, he knew that. But he also knew that he didn't want to. He walked slowly, carefully, and reached the counter in about twice the time it would take during daylight. Something made him pause when he reached the counter, and it took him a second to realize what it was.

Spencer. What if she wasn't on _his_ side after all? What if, when given the choice, she picked the girls over him? She could get on with her life, enjoying her friends and her freedom, but he… well, there wouldn't be much left for someone like him. What if he took this too far and scared her off? What if he had to make a choice between being on the A-Team and betraying Spencer? The love of his life and his life's ambition; an impossible choice. He needed her, but what if she didn't need him?

Shaking the thoughts from his head, he bent down and opened the cupboard beneath the counter. There, right where Noel had said it would be, was the box containing all of the plans. With tentative hands – why was he hesitating? Wasn't this what he wanted, what he'd always wanted? – he reached out and grabbed it, withdrawing quickly like he was scared of being scalded. He closed his eyes, almost expecting an alarm to go off. It would be just like Mona to pretend to recruit them, only to set them up and watch them fall. That would destroy Spencer, and her relationship with the girls; and Toby would probably lose her too.

But the silence was unbroken, wrapping around him like a comforting blanket. He was alone, and he was getting away with this. His first A-Team mission. His first of many, he hoped. Tucking the container under his arm, he made his way around the counter and back across the floor, thinking about how far he'd come.

When Mona asked him to be on the team, his only hesitation was the thought of Spencer. He thought that when she found out, she'd leave him. But now, he wasn't so sure. She'd accepted Mona's offer, and although she claimed it was because she wanted to protect him – which he believed – he had a feeling that wasn't the whole truth. Maybe he was reading too much into it, projecting his feelings onto her so he could delude himself into thinking they could have a happy ending after all. But maybe it wasn't a delusion, and maybe she wasn't as loyal to the girls as they thought.

He knew that was supposed to be a bad thing. Disloyalty is not an admirable trait in anyone; but if it was enough to allow Spencer to love him, he was eager to accept it. He knew his loyalties, and he knew that he would do just about anything for Spencer. And now he had to figure out where he stood with Mona. He didn't like the thought of working below her, taking orders from her, or really having anything to do with her – why was she always appearing from the shadows, and did she _have_ to smile like that? - he had to admit that she was intelligent, and if that was enough to get him the revenge he wanted, then who was he to argue?

He reached the door, and his swirl of thoughts stopped as he realized what he'd just achieved. Mona had told him to steal this box, and that's exactly what he'd done. He was officially in, and as long as Spencer's mission was going well, they wouldn't have anything to worry about – except being arrested, Mona turning on them, the girls finding out about their involvement, or any number of other unfortunate things. Aside from that, though, they were golden.

Making sure to lock the door behind him, Toby emerged into the night. In his mind this moment was always going to be more dramatic; he always imagined it with fast-paced music playing in the background, maybe an explosion or at least a few flames behind him, and someone cheering.

Instead he was greeted with darkness and silence, and Noel watching him from across the road, but it still felt momentous. Feeling renewed and energized, Toby adjusted his grip on the box and marched across to the road, the black hood falling low over his face like a shroud. When he reached the other side he presented the box to Noel, who nodded appreciatively.

"That should keep Mona happy for a while," Toby said, trying to hide how proud he was. It was only the first, and presumably the easiest, of many tasks he would probably perform, but he had no regrets about setting his feet down this path. "Now what?"

"That's it for tonight," Noel said, taking the box from Toby and leading the way down the street – back to the lair. They stopped at the corner, and Noel gave Toby a smile that almost seemed genuine. "Congratulations, by the way. You're definitely one of us now."

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**So Toby's in. How do you think Spencer's going?**


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